Role of Bus‐Based Park and Ride in the UK: A Temporal and Evaluative Review

Abstract

The number of bus‐based Park and Ride (P&R) schemes in the UK has grown substantially over the past 40 years as a result of its encouragement by the Government as a tool to deal with increasing traffic congestion and traffic‐related pollution. The aim of this article is to analyse the degree to which P&R is effective in the contemporary policy context. The authors identify phases of development of P&R since its emergence as a local solution to transport capacity constraints in historic towns. Policy goals are identified against which a review of literature is used to highlight its effectiveness. It is concluded that P&R may increase the distance travelled by its users due to low load factors on dedicated buses, public transport abstraction and trip generation, although it is highlighted that there are areas in which further research is required to clarify its impacts.     

A note on the use of correlation coefficients for assessing goodness-of-fit in spatial interaction models

The use of correlation coefficients to evaluate the accuracy of spatial interaction models is inappropriate unless such models have been fitted using least squares techniques. In other cases the correlation involves an implicit intercept value and a regression coefficient that may significantly modify the interaction model's estimates. Researchers have not acknowledged the role of these two parameters when the correlation is used. A generalized root mean square error is proposed as an alternative indicator of accuracy that may be used with any model.     

Choice of parking: Stated preference approach

Over recent years, parking policy has become a key element of transport policy in many countries. Parking policy measures can affect many different dimensions of travel behaviour but are likely to be most significant in terms of travellers' choice of parking type and location. This dimension of travel choice has, to date, received comparatively little attention, yet is of vital importance if we are to properly understand and predict the effects of parking policy measures.This paper presents two studies addressing this issue carried out in the United Kingdom and Germany. Both studies used a stated preference approach in order to collect disaggregate data on travellers responses to changes in parking attributes and used these data to build simple logit models of parking type choice. The studies were designed in order to allow comparable choice models to be estimated from the two datasets. The results obtained strongly indicate the need to separately identify the costs associated with different components of the parking activity (e.g., general in-vehicle time, parking search time, egress time) and also point to the existence of significant differences in the relative valuation of these components across different journey purposes. Where possible, the results of the choice modelling exercises are also compared with existing revealed and stated preference results and are found to be generally in line with prior expectations.     

Management of coastal eutrophication: Integration of field data, ecosystem-scale simulations and screening models

A hybrid approach for eutrophication assessment in estuarine and coastal ecosystems is presented. The ASSETS screening model (http://www.eutro.org) classifies eutrophication status into five classes: High (better), Good, Moderate, Poor and Bad (worse). This model was applied to a dataset from a shallow coastal barrier island system in southwest Europe (Ria Formosa), with a resulting score of Good. A detailed dynamic model was developed for this ecosystem, and the outputs were used to drive the screening model. Four scenarios were run on the research model: pristine, standard (simulates present loading), half and double the current nutrient loading. The Ria Formosa has a short water residence time and eutrophication symptoms are not apparent in the water column. However, benthic symptoms are expressed as excessive macroalgal growth and strong dissolved oxygen fluctuations in the tide pools. The standard simulation results showed an ASSETS grade identical to the field data application. The application of the screening model to the other scenario outputs showed the responsiveness of ASSETS to changes in pressure, state and response, scoring a grade of High under pristine conditions, Good for half the standard scenario and Moderate for double the present loadings. The use of this hybrid approach allows managers to test the outcome of measures against a set of well-defined metrics for the evaluation of state. It additionally provides a way of testing and improving the pressure component of ASSETS. Sensitivity analysis revealed that sub-sampling the output of the research model at a monthly scale, typical for the acquisition of field data, may significantly affect the outcome of the screening model, by overlooking extreme events such as occasional night-time anoxia in tide pools.     

基于遗传算法的重载与非重载去向开行方案比较研究

本文道德简要介绍重载运输在我国开行的现状，在此基础上建立一个重载列车去向模型。引进一个先进的算法－遗传算法求解模型，根据求得最终优化方案，比较普通直达列车和重载列车开行方案的不同，计算结果表明重载列车的开行应该重新调整现有编组计划，而不是仅仅加大原有开行方向上的编成辆数以实现重载。     

铁路罐式集装箱空箱调配优化模型及遗传模拟退火算法

针对罐式集装箱运输的特殊性,考虑重箱流和空箱流调配的综合优化,以罐箱运输费用最小为目标,建立铁路罐式集装箱空箱调配优化多商品网络流模型,并构造了1种嵌入模拟退火操作的遗传算法对之进行求解。为了使模型与算法可得到更符合实际、操作性更强的结果,给出了3种空罐箱调配的策略,作为隐含条件加入到算法求解过程中。利用自适应遗传模拟退火算法对随机生成的实际规模问题算例进行求解,并与用通用代数建模系统软件GAMS的计算结果进行对比。结果表明,前者得出的结果与最优解差距不大,而且运算速度更快,更能满足解决实际问题的需要,为铁路罐箱调配优化提供了良好的决策支持模型和算法。     

浅析钢筋混凝土Y形桥墩的优化设计

介绍并分析立交桥中桥墩构造尺寸的拟定,及其优化设计的过程与思路。     

浅谈运营商互联网骨干网扩容优化方案

随着人们对互联网络依赖程度的增加，互联网骨干网的扩容与优化逐渐成为各运营商需要解决的课题。本文从多种角度分析并提出了承载网扩容和优化的解决方案。     

汽车全塑前端模块结构优化设计

随着塑料材料性能的日益提升,汽车零部件塑料化是汽车轻量化的主要手段之一。文章针对某车型的全塑前端模块结构,根据前端模块的性能指标,利用仿真分析完成前端模块的优化设计,在前端模块性能基本不降低的前提下,整个结构优化实现重量降低10%左右,最终达到降低零件重量和成本的要求。     

宽带网络优化

稳定的网络是运营商服务用户的基础,也是获得用户认可的前提。在用户不断增加的前提下,根据公司现有资源情况,利用合理的投资计划,完善管内互联网接入层、汇聚层的调整优化,实现网络带宽的冗余和提高网络的抗干扰能力。